#BookReview: What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin @AlterKates @WednesdayBooks

Synopsis: Lex was taken – trafficked - and now she’s Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn’t quite know how to be Lex again. 

After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn’t trust it. Doesn't trust her new home. Doesn’t trust her new friend. Doesn’t trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn’t because that's what feels right. She doesn’t deserve good things. 

But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn’t mean it is okay. She’s thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she’ll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love.

Kate McLaughlin’s What Unbreakable Looks Like is a gritty, ultimately hopeful novel about human trafficking through the lens of a girl who has escaped the life and learned to trust, not only others, but in herself. 



Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review: How do I even review this one? For those who don’t know growing up I was molested by three different men in my life. One being a family member and another being my mothers boyfriend. And to this day she denies anything ever happened. At the age of 11. I woke up to a man in his late 30s to early 40s laying naked in my bed. I couldn’t tell you what happens after that because I don’t remember. 

This book is about human trafficking and it spoke to me on so many levels. I had to put it down numerous times today because I ended up crying either happy or sad tears. 

This book will rip out your heart as you follow Lex and her story. And you will not forget it once you reach the last page and close the book. 

Although to my knowledge I have never been raped I can not imagine what it was like for Lex. But my heart goes out to her and others that fill the pages of this story. This is a book that should be in the hands of every teenager. 

Welcome all sides to the conversation of #humantraffickingawareness and help put a stop to it! Because it is our children that will pay the price if we do nothing. 

Go Into This One Knowing: Rape, Drug Use, Human Trafficking, Sexual Abuse

Review

Book Riot, "The Ultimate Guide to Spring 2020 YA Books for Your TBR"

Culturess, "13 must-read June YA book releases to start your summer off right"

"This shines a light on a little-talked-about topic that involves teens." - Booklist (Starred Review)

"This story of resilience and recovery is gritty and heavy but ultimately hopeful... A gut-punch story with an uplifting ending." - Kirkus

"[A] beautiful insight into what it means to heal and have hope. ...If you are wanting a heartwarming, heartbreaking, inspiring, and hard hitting story, I would definitely recommend you pick this book up." - The Nerd Daily

"Gritty and moving, What Unbreakable Looks Like is a compelling story about recovery and the problem of human trafficking that persists today." - Young Adult Books Central

"With unflinching honesty, What Unbreakable Looks Like exposes the injuries and scars we wear on our skins or in our souls. Hidden damage is tragically common, but helpful others who dared embrace hope invite Alexa to step onto the healing path. This novel may offer a springboard for a reader's own healing or foster empathy for life's walking wounded." - Liz Coley, author of international bestseller Pretty Girl-13

"Raw, unflinching, and authentic, Kate McLaughlin's thoughtful What Unbreakable Looks Like carefully crafts a story exposing the vulnerability of underage trafficked girls and what it takes to begin the process of healing from sexual trauma." - Christa Desir, author, advocate, and founding member of The Voices and Faces Project

“This is a powerful book about a sobering topic that I found myself thinking about for days after I completed it. It is wonderfully poignant, painfully real, and even laugh out loud funny at times. Not everyone can truly wrap their minds around the trauma these victims endure and yet somehow, despite all of it, are still just regular kids. But Kate McLaughlin gets it. ‘Lex’ is truly what unbreakable looks like and you’ll fall in love with her spirit.” - Tanya Compagnone, Trooper First Class 

“Sex trafficking continues to seep into all our communities. In this novel, Kate McLaughlin brings to life the trauma that transpires in youth who forced into the life of sex trafficking. Her novel is a reminder that each of us can make a difference in someone’s life.” - Dina R. St. George, MSW, Juvenile Re-Entry Unit OCPD

About the Author

KATE McLAUGHLIN likes people, so much so that she spends her days making up her own. She likes writing about characters who are bent, but not broken - people who find their internal strength through friends, strife and sometimes humor. When she's not writing, she likes studying people, both real and fictional. She also likes playing board games with friends, talking and discovering new music. A proud Nova Scotian, she'll gladly tell you all about the highest tides in the world, the magical creation known as a donair, and people who have sofas in their kitchens. Currently, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and four cats. What Unbreakable Looks Like is her debut novel.

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Posted in: 5 Stars, Jessica P., Review, Wednesdays Books, Young Adult